On Facebook Dean posted the link to Cooper the Library Dog (YouTube) and it is just simply too cute not do as a Friday Fun post. Cooper is a brown Shih Tzu who comes to the Harvard Medical School library on Tuesdays and Thursdays as a registered therapy dog. Cooper is in the catalog and can be checked out for 30 minutes by anyone with an Harvard ID. According to the librarian on the video, Cooper is quite popular because other people, not just those with the Harvard Medical School will go out of their way to the library to check him out.
Other academic libraries doing therapy dogs are:
- Yale Law Library (Monty)
- University of Connecticut Libraries (lots of pups)
- MIT Libraries (partners with a therapy dog program)
- USF Law Library (plethora of pooches)
- University of Richmond Law School (Garth and 3 other dogs)
Now wouldn’t you want to see this sweet furry guy at the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Library?
… and McGill U as well: https://www.mcgill.ca/library/channels/event/dogs-at-the-library
The University of Toronto employed therapy dogs too! http://www.globaltoronto.com/u+of+t+hosts+therapy+dog+sessions+for+stressed+students/6442767590/story.html
A sampling of UB Libraries press for therapy dogs:
http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/erie/therapy-dogs-help-ub-students-relax
http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121212/CITYANDREGION/121219712/1010
http://www.infodocket.com/2012/12/10/pack-of-therapy-dogs-heading-to-u-of-buffalo-libraries-to-help-students-cope-during-finals/
http://www.cw23.com/dpp/winging_it/Stressed-Spend-quality-time-with-a-pup?ref=scroller&categoryId=10034&status=true
Our therapy dog program has been a big hit: Our students love it. We’ve had over 500 unique participants in just two days. We offer massage, food and relaxing music. As an admin, we had a communications plan in place which has reaped a Buffalo News article, Buffalo Business First article, AP news wire story (picked up by 5 newspapers across the state), two TV stations stories (CBS and WB affiliates…that’s right we made the WB!). Additionally, we are surveying students about the library and collecting quotes from users for future promotional efforts. It’s our 3rd year doing it…I like to think we have it down to a science now.
We had dog visitors at the Kent State University library earlier this week! The students love them! Photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ksulib/